Do you have someone you always go on holiday with? Well, for me it’s my best friend Helen who I’ve known since we bonded over our complete inability to draw in Art class at secondary school. Over the last few years we’ve travelled to Iceland, Amsterdam, Yorkshire and Athens together – and we’re hoping to visit at least one new country together this summer.
Helen and I at the TBEX opening party in Athens last October
So, for something a little different today, I’ve asked Helen if she wouldn’t mind writing up a little bit about what it’s like to ‘holiday’ (if you can really call it that) with a travel blogger. I told her she had free rein to write whatever she fancied about me, which I instantly regretted. This is the completely unedited version…
Think you’re going on ‘holiday’? Think again…
1. The planning, oh the planning.
In the weeks, nay MONTHS running up to your trip, expect an influx of Facebook messages, texts and tweets linking you to amazing places that they’ve spotted. You won’t be able to keep up but you can smile, nod and help them to narrow down their epic list. They’ll thank you for it when they get overwhelmed by the sheer amount that they want to do…
2. Time is of the essence.
You’re only going to be there for a finite number of days, and you’d better not forget it. Expect your travel blogging pal to have all the sites they want to see mapped out with the best route to get to each. If you wanted a relaxed, beach-side holiday where you spend hours soaking up the sun and sipping cocktails, you’ve chosen the wrong companion, my friend.
There are sites to explore, cafes to sip tea in, winding paths to get lost down, hidden gems to be discovered – this is no time to be topping up the tan. Adjust your expectations, pack a good pair of walking shoes and prepare for adventure.
3. Any opportunity is a photo opportunity.
If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from travelling with a blogger, it’s that they see the world a little differently to us normal folk. Where you might see a bike leaned strategically against a lamp post or some street knitting by someone who clearly has too much time on their hands, they see a wonderfully whimsical photo opportunity that their readers will love.
Speaking of which, there should always be at least an hour factored into each day’s activities for the taking of photos. I mean, content is what it’s all about right?
“…let me just take a photo of this stray dog, I’m planning a post about the animals of Athens.” (Emily Ray, 2014)
“Emily, why are you taking a picture of that knitted lamp-post, the spectacular church in all its glory is positioned just behind it…”
4. There are more than just two of you on this trip…
Prepare to be third-wheelin’. Whether it’s via Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat or Facebook, your blogging buddy has a keen readership to keep up-to-date with all your adventures. Between seeing the sites, quaint cafes with free wifi will become your second home. But, hey! You can never have too much tea, right?
5. Prepare to have your mind broadened.
You’re not a tourist any more. You’re a traveller. A travel blogger will always take you off the beaten track. Their hours of pouring over other traveller’s blogs and getting the best tips from their pals means that they know secrets that TripAdvisor just can’t offer. They’ll take you to a little-known restaurant where all the locals head, they know that there’s a beautiful view hidden just around the corner that no one else knows, they’ll introduce you to people with the most incredible stories.
One thing is certain: once you go away with a travel blogger, no one else will quite match up.
Phew. I don’t think that was *too* bad…although it’s made me realise just how much she has to put up with when we’re away together! All I can say is – Helen, thank you so much for being the bestest travel companion I could ask for. Here’s to many, many more trips together! ♥
This is brilliant!! I’ve been nagging Mr Ayla about another trip and we’ve only just got back from Cuba so I can completely see Helen’s side of this! Despite all our insistence and constant bugging I’m sure they appreciate it really as they do get to go on the most awesome trips 🙂
Going to send this to Alex hehe!
Oh absolutely! (p.s. Mr Ayla – get booking that weekend trip 😉 )
So that’s how my travel partners feel! Great to get a glimpse over the other side, I’m sure that my mum and husband and whoever else I travel with is just as perplexed by the constant photo-taking and endless research. Though nobody in my family ever has to bother planning a trip anymore!
haha this is true – really they should be glad they have their very own travel agent 😉
Love it – great post !
Thanks Natasha! 🙂
Haha, great post! The best part was the travel messages at the top! It’s like a snapshot of my brain.
The world does look a little different once you start blogging and I do feel a bit sorry for people that do anything with me now. I will inevitably want to stop and take photos of things from different angles when we should have been at the pub 20 minutes ago. 🙂
I’m exactly the same – I’ve become quite good at snapping on the go to make it look like I’m definitely *not* holding everyone else up 😉
Haha, I travel with my other half so he has to put up with constant photos – “Why are you taking a picture of another signpost?!!”
(I would totally be taking a photo of the knitted lamp post too by the way).
It was so cute, wasn’t it?! Yeah, my boyfriend has the mindset of “Just take one photo and move on”, but I just can’t do that! I have to take 5 photos of the same thing in case one of them doesn’t turn out any good!
This made me chuckle! I’m sure my husband is convinced that we end up spending twice as long in places because of the amount of photos I stand and take (or make him take with his fancy camera whilst I snap away on my phone, as I couldn’t possibly just be using the one gadget now could I?!) 😀 I think it does us bloggers good sometimes to see it from the other side though!
Oh, absolutely – it’s always good to get a little perspective 😀
Haha #3! Everyone is always like “Hannah stop taking pictures! “
Glad to know it’s not just me 🙂
I am sure this is how Mr P feels about our trips, although I don’t use social media when we are away as a rule!!
That’s a good rule to have – not sure I’d be able to stick to it for that long though!
That’s brilliant – my long suffering husband has decided if you can’t beat them, join them and now he comes up with lots of suggestions for activities to try and places to visit whilst we’re on holiday
Oh, that’s ace! Luckily Helen is very good at doing that too, so I like to feel like we’re *almost* as bad as each other!
HAHA, I love this!! The photos thing is SO true. D is always wondering why I’m taking pictures of random things when the magnificent building or site is just behind it. And I feel the need to take pictures of every stray I see too. I know he gets really annoyed with me. But I’ve calmed down a lot since the first few months of blogging. The only thing that I’m horrible with is planning. I hate it and will just wander around aimlessly in a new destination!